Principal Investigators: S. Homes Hogue, Cailin Murray, and Christine Thompson


Project Summary

The Department of Anthropology, Ball State University will execute a Consultation & Documentation Grant to determine the disposition of their current collections of culturally unidentified (CUI) human remains and associated funerary objects (AFOs).  Partners include eight federally recognized tribes that may have geographic claims to the CUI human remains and AFOs.  We have also have corresponded with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, who has relinquished interest in four CUI collections currently in Ball State’s possession.  It is expected that up 23 Notices of Inventory Completion will be submitted, representing the bulk of the collections of human remains currently in our possession.   The grant will fund pre-consultation planning, the initial inventory of associated funerary objects, and tribal consultation travel expenses.  Grant activities will also include the creation and population of a human remains and AFO database along with digitization of associated inventory records and forms, and digital photographs as agreed upon.  Additional rehabilitation and rehousing of human remains and AFOs will take place based on tribal input.